CVE-2020-9906 in watchOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/23/2020
A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 13.6 and iPadOS 13.6, macOS Catalina 10.15.6, watchOS 6.2.8. A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9906 represents a memory corruption flaw that emerged in Apple's operating systems, specifically affecting iOS 13.5 and earlier versions, iPadOS 13.5 and earlier, macOS Catalina 10.15.5 and earlier, and watchOS 6.2.7 and earlier. This issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the affected system components, creating potential entry points for malicious actors to exploit system stability and memory integrity. The flaw manifests as a condition where improperly validated inputs can trigger unexpected behavior in the kernel memory management subsystem, potentially leading to system crashes or more severe memory corruption scenarios.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers buffer overflow vulnerabilities in heap memory. The flaw likely occurs when system components process untrusted input data without sufficient validation, allowing attackers to craft malicious payloads that can manipulate memory layout or overwrite critical kernel structures. Such memory corruption vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions that compromise system integrity. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to devices, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for widespread deployment.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-9906 extends beyond simple system instability to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the attack chain defined by MITRE ATT&CK framework. Specifically, this vulnerability could support techniques categorized under T1059 for command and control operations, and T1068 for privilege escalation through kernel memory manipulation. The issue affects multiple Apple platforms, creating a unified attack surface that requires coordinated patch management across different device types. Organizations and individuals using affected versions of these operating systems face elevated risk of system compromise, particularly in environments where device security is paramount.
Apple's resolution of this vulnerability through updates to iOS 13.6, iPadOS 13.6, macOS Catalina 10.15.6, and watchOS 6.2.8 demonstrates the company's approach to addressing memory corruption issues through improved input validation mechanisms. The fix likely involves enhanced bounds checking and memory management procedures that prevent malicious inputs from corrupting kernel memory structures. Security professionals should prioritize patch deployment across all affected platforms to eliminate this vulnerability from operational environments, as the remote exploitation capability makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise and consumer settings where device security is critical. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing applications or system functionality while effectively mitigating the memory corruption risk.